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The DesMoines Register editorial board: "The language proposed by 56 House Republicans Wednesday would amend the Iowa Constitution to say: 'Marriage between one man and one woman shall be the only legal union valid or recognized in this state.' That bans not only the marriages of same-sex couples but civil unions and any other domestic partnership. That should worry all Iowans."

Morgan Meneses-Sheets, Equality Maryland’s executive director, says a marriage bill is scheduled to be introduced next Tuesday at a time when her organization and most political observers believe supporters of the bill have the votes to pass it in both chambers.

In a victory for gay rights advocates, a federal judge has ruled that state employees in California can sue for discrimination over the federal government's exclusion of their same-sex spouses from a long-term health care program.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken of Oakland denied an Obama administration request to dismiss the suit Tuesday and signaled that she is likely to overturn provisions of the 1996 so-called Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal benefits to same-sex couples.

The new Republican-dominated House today revealed the first step in its anti-gay agenda, introducing a joint resolution that would allow Iowans to vote on a constitutional amendment to ban the freedom to marry.

Freedom to Marry's Evan Wolfson said, "Government should be on the side of all families, not putting barriers in their path as they seek to care for their loved ones. And the constitution should be respected as a shield of fairness for all, not used as a weapon to discriminate and harm.”

A statement from Evan Wolfson, Founder and Executive Director of Freedom to Marry, urging the Iowa Legislature to reject a bill introduced today that would harm Iowa families by amending the state constitution to strip away the freedom to marry from same-sex couples and bar other protections for their families.